Career Summary
With fifty years broad experience in all areas of Intellectual Property I have specialized and had particular emphasis in patent litigation and client counseling. My nearly forty years in private practice has included prominent roles as Assistant Chair of the IP Division and Head of IP Litigation at Lathrop & Gage, Director of the Intellectual Property Law and IP Litigation Department at Dykema Gossett, and managing partner at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione. I also served as Division Patent Counsel for Abbott Laboratories.
In addition to my litigation experience I have acted as a mediator in complex patent litigation cases and as an expert witness. As the Executive Director of the Intellectual Property Clinic at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, I have contributed significantly to legal education and mentorship.
My teaching experience spans prestigious institutions including the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law; University of Illinois College of Law; Oxford University, UK; the University of Victoria, Canada, and at Indiana University Maurer School of Law where I have instructed courses in Patent Litigation, IP Law, Patent Law, and Clinical IP Practices.
Currently, I serve as Of Counsel at Chapman Spingola and as a Designated Campus Colleague at the James E. Rogers College of Law, continuing to impact the field of Intellectual Property through both practice and education.
Accomplishments
- Participated in and tried cases in Federal District Courts throughout the United States and have argued before Federal and State courts of appeal including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
- Prepared and presented the damages portion of a patent infringement action before a jury obtaining a record setting $102 million damages verdict and a judgment, including punitive damages and interest, of $165 million.
- Chaired committee responsible for drafting Local Patent Rules for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Experience as a mediator, arbitrator, and expert witness.
- Extensively published, lectured and taught classes relating to patents and patent litigation.
Law Firm and Corporate Practice
| Chapman Spingola (Of Counsel) | 2024-present |
| Lathrop & Gage (Partner) (Asst. Divn. Chair of National IP Division, Head of IP Litigation) | 2013-2017 |
| Dykema Gossett PLLC (Partner) (Director of National IP and IP Litigation Dept.) | 2005-2013 |
| Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione (shareholder) (COO/managing partner 1996-1999) | 1987-2005 |
| Abbott Laboratories (Division Patent Counsel) | 1984-1987 |
| Neuman, Williams, Anderson & Olson (associate, partner) | 1976-1984 |
| Sunbeam Corporation (law clerk, patent agent) | 1973-1976 |
Education
Loyola University, School of Law, Chicago, IL, J.D., 1977
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, M.S.E., 1972
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, B.S.A.A.E. w/Honors, 1970
Admitted to Practice
Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Honors / Recognitions
- Has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
- Has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Leading Lawyers Network
- Has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer for Intellectual Property Litigation by Law & Politics
- Has been named one of the Leading American Attorneys in the area of intellectual property and computer law by the American Research Corporation
- Has been listed in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering
- Has been listed in Who’s Who in American Law
- Has been listed in Who’s Who in America
- Has been listed in Who’s Who in the World